Love in Jeopardy

Chapter 16

As the weeks went by, Taryn found herself losing track of time when she was in her studio. She entered a productive phase which helped her overcome her anguish over Gideon's busy schedule. Sometimes Gideon would come home from work and find Taryn working hard on one of her paintings. He seemed glad to see her being so productive, but he did make a few comments about being jealous of her ability to lose herself in her work. Taryn tried hard not to neglect the housework; sometimes Gideon had to cook or bring dinner home because she was still working in her studio.

One night they were eating Chinese food when Gideon asked Taryn if she was excited about their trip to see his parents.

"Of course," she replied, smiling. "I can't believe Easter is here already. The time has gone by quickly."

"It sure has," Gideon agreed. "I'm so happy to have four days off in a row. It's going to be great."

Taryn knew how rare it was for Gideon to have that much time off. She wondered if he was going to bring his laptop with him.

"Are we flying or driving down to Vancouver?" she asked.

"We may as well drive," Gideon answered. "The weather should be nice enough."

Taryn nodded as she chewed on a mouthful of rice.

"I bet my mom has already planned out the whole weekend," Gideon said, chuckling.

"I spoke to her yesterday," Taryn replied. "She seems really excited about spending some time with us."

"I'll be glad to get out of town for a few days," Gideon said. "Does Kim need you to pick up anything while we're down there?"

"No, but I need to find an outfit to wear for her rehearsal dinner," Taryn answered.

"My mom should be able to help you with that," Gideon said, smiling.

Taryn grinned and looked down at her plate. If Mary was anything like Kim, she was in for a marathon shopping expedition.

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Gideon and Taryn left town the following Friday morning. The roads were in good condition and they had an easy drive down to Vancouver. Gideon was light-hearted as he drove, making Taryn laugh with his silly lawyer jokes. Taryn was happy to see him so carefree for a change. She wished things could always be like that, but Gideon's schedule wouldn't allow it.

Taryn was surprised to see how green everything was when they got to Vancouver. Spring flowers were in bloom and everything looked fresh and colorful. When they got to Claude and Mary's house, Taryn noticed the beautiful garden in the front yard.

"Wow! It sure looks different than it did at Christmas," Taryn said, as Gideon parked the SUV.

"My mom prides herself on having a garden she can showcase," Gideon replied. "Wait until you see the back yard."

They were greeted enthusiastically by Gideon's parents.

"I'm so glad to see you," Mary said, giving Taryn a big hug.

"It's great to be here," Taryn replied.

"How was the drive?" asked Claude.

"Pretty good," Gideon answered. "The traffic wasn't too bad."

They went into the house where Mary had lunch waiting for them. Taryn felt spoiled already. Mary sure liked cooking for people.

"This salad is delicious," Taryn said, smiling at Mary.